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The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) · 83 of 141 · tr. R.H. Charles

Chapter LXIII

LXIII. The unavailing Repentance of the Kings and the Mighty . CHAPTER LXIII. 1. In those days shall the mighty and the kings who possess the earth implore (Him) to grant them a little respite from His angels of punishment to whom they were delivered, that they might fall down and worship before the Lord of Spirits, and confess their sins before Him. 2. And they shall bless and glorify the Lord of Spirits, and say: 'Blessed is the Lord of Spirits and the Lord of kings, And the Lord of the mighty and the Lord of the rich, And the Lord of glory and the Lord of wisdom, 3. And splendid in every secret thing is Thy power from generation to generation, And Thy glory for ever and ever: Deep are all Thy secrets and innumerable, And Thy righteousness is beyond reckoning. 4. We have now learnt that we should glorify And bless the Lord of kings and Him who is king over all kings.' p. 84 5. And they shall say: 'Would that we had rest to glorify and give thanks And confess our faith before His glory! 6. And now we long for a little rest but find it not: We follow hard upon and obtain (it) not: And light has vanished from before us, And darkness is our dwelling-place for ever and ever: 7. For we have not believed before Him Nor glorified the name of the Lord of Spirits, [ nor glorified our Lord ] But our hope was in the sceptre of our kingdom, And in our glory. 8. And in the day of our suffering and tribulation He saves us not, And we find no respite for confession That our Lord is true in all His works, and in His judgements and His justice, And His judgements have no respect of persons. 9. And we pass away from before His face on account of our works, And all our sins are reckoned up in righteousness.' 10. Now they shall say unto themselves: 'Our souls are full of unrighteous gain, but it does not prevent us from descending from the midst thereof into the †burden† of Sheol.' 11. And after that their faces shall be filled with darkness And shame before that Son of Man, And they shall be driven from his presence, And the sword shall abide before his face in their midst. 12. Thus spake the Lord of Spirits: 'This is the ordinance and judgement with respect to the mighty and the kings and the exalted and those who possess the earth before the Lord of Spirits.'
Themes
◆Apophatic Theologytheology

Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.

The Lord's righteousness is described as beyond reckoning and His secrets as deep, emphasizing transcendence beyond human categories.

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◆Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

The text contrasts light and darkness, righteousness and sin, as opposing states of existence for the saved and the condemned.

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◆Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

God's power is described as splendid in every secret thing with deep and innumerable secrets.

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◆Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

Light is associated with God's glory and presence, which has vanished from the wicked leaving them in darkness.

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◆Divine Providencetheology

Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.

The text affirms that God's judgements are true in all His works and have no respect of persons.

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◆Evil As Privationtheology

Augustinian and Plotinian doctrine that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack, distortion, or absence of the good — denying ontological dualism while preserving moral seriousness.

Evil is depicted as the absence of light and divine presence, where darkness becomes the dwelling-place for the wicked.

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◆Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

The Lord of Spirits is portrayed as an active agent who judges, saves (or does not), and executes justice.

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◆Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

The kings implore, bless, glorify, and confess before the Lord of Spirits in a desperate attempt at repentance.

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◆Renunciation Of Wealthethics

The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.

The kings confess that their hope was wrongly placed in the sceptre of their kingdom and glory rather than in God.

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◆Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

The text utilizes specific divine titles such as 'Lord of Spirits' and 'Lord of kings' in worship.

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◆Self Examinationpraxis

Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice.

The passage emphasizes the confession of sins and the reckoning of works before the divine judge.

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◆Separation From Sourcesoteriology

The felt condition of exile from one's divine origin — Rumi's reed flute torn from its bed, Plotinus's 'we have forgotten,' the Gnostic forgetfulness; the affective wound that complements return_to_source and gives the return its motive.

The wicked are driven from the presence of the Son of Man and dwell in darkness, signifying exile from the divine.

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◇Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.

[auto] The passage centers on the final judgment of kings and mighty ones by the Lord of Spirits, detailing their sentencing and descent into Sheol.

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Related passages · 15 parallels
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 12, Section 1a
“181 CHAPTER XII Concerning ” Holy of holies ,” ” King of kings ,” ” Lord of lords ,” ” God of gods .” 1. Forasmuch as the things which needed to be said concerning this matter have been brought, I think, to a proper ending, we must praise…”
Both passages emphasize the transcendence and sovereignty of the divine, using similar titles and attributes such as 'Lord of lords' and 'King of kings.' They also highlight the divine's role in creation and providence, though in different contexts and with varying theological nuances.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 22 (part 1)
“PLATE XIV. §F. Vignette: The gods Osiris, Isis, and Ap-uat, and the TET. Text [CHAPTER XVIII.]: (1) The great godlike rulers who are in Abtu are Osiris, Isis, and Ap-uat. "Hail, Thoth, who madest Osiris victorious (2) over his enemies,…”
Both passages describe a judgment scene where the deceased or the mighty and kings are held accountable for their actions. They share the theme of divine judgment and the need for righteousness, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 30 (part 2)
“They saw (13) the urertu crown stablished upon his head, and they fell down upon their faces. Behold, O ye shining ones, ye men (14) and gods, ye damned ones, when ye behold Osiris Ani, triumphant like unto Horus and adored (15) by reason…”
Both passages describe a scene where powerful figures (gods and kings) acknowledge and submit to a higher authority (Osiris Ani and the Lord of Spirits). They share themes of divine judgment, repentance, and the recognition of divine power.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 36 (part 1)
“PLATES XXIX. AND XXX. Vignette (PLATE XXIX.): Ani and his wife standing with hands raised in adoration before the god Thoth, who has ankh , "life," upon his knees, and is seated on a pylon-shaped throne. Text [CHAPTER CLXXV.]: (1) THE CH…”
Both passages depict a scene where powerful figures (kings and mighty in Passage A, holy children of Nut in Passage B) are judged for their actions. They acknowledge their wrongdoings and seek redemption or respite, highlighting themes of repentance, divine justice, and the consequences of one's deeds.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 36 (part 5)
“(16) I have not added unto nor have I minished the offerings which are due. I have not stolen from the orchards; nor have I trampled down the fields. I have not added to the weight of the balance; (17) nor have I made light the weight in…”
Both passages deal with themes of moral accountability and divine judgment. Passage A from the Egyptian Book of the Dead lists negative confessions and affirmations of purity, while Passage B from the Book of Enoch describes the repentance and acknowledgment of sins by kings and mighty ones before the Lord of Spirits. Both emphasize the importance of righteousness and the consequences of one's actions.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECOND“
“This is the answer of the words after which ye seek. Now therefore also, Andreas, yet art thou being in unbelief and with ignorance? But whenever ye should come out of the body and go unto the Height, and arrive at the Place of the Rulers…”
Both passages describe a scenario where powerful figures (kings and mighty ones in Passage A, Rulers and Invisibles in Passage B) confront a divine or exalted being. They acknowledge their shortcomings and the superiority of the divine, seeking forgiveness or recognition of their sins. The themes of repentance, humility, and divine judgment are central to both texts.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRDb
“Say unto them, Renounce the listening that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light (Schm. supplies this), and be delivered from the judgments of the face of a dog. Say unto them, Renounce litigiousness, and be worthy of the mysteri…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of renouncing negative behaviors and attitudes to achieve spiritual deliverance or salvation. They share a common theme of moral and ethical purification as a prerequisite for divine mysteries or divine favor.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRDc
“Say unto them, Renounce the villainies, and be worthy of the mysteries of the Light, and be delivered from all the [237 ] demons of Ialtabaoth with all his punishments. Say unto them, Renounce the senselessness, and be worthy of the myster…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of moral behavior and repentance to achieve spiritual salvation. They describe the consequences of unrighteous actions and the benefits of righteousness, though within different theological frameworks.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRDd
“Say unto them, Do love of God and receive the mysteries of the Light, and go unto the Height unto the kingdom of the Light. Say unto them, Be righteous and receive the mysteries, and go unto the Height unto the kingdom of the Light. Say u…”
Both passages discuss the themes of righteousness, repentance, and divine judgment. They emphasize the importance of turning away from sin and seeking forgiveness, highlighting the role of divine mysteries or ordinances in the process of salvation.
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn LXIII. LAW A HYMN
“LXIII. TO LAW A HYMN. THE holy king of Gods and men I call, Celestial Law, the righteous seal of all; The seal which stamps whate'er the earth contains, Nature's firm basis, and the liquid plains: Stable, and starry, of harmonious frame, 5…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of divine law and righteousness, highlighting the consequences for those who adhere to or disregard these principles. They share a reverence for a higher power that governs the universe and human behavior.
5 more
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn LXVIII. THE FURIES * The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS
“LXVIII. TO THE FURIES * The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. VOCIFEROUS Bacchanalian Furies, hear! Ye, I invoke, dread pow'rs, whom all revere; Nightly, profound, in secret who retire, Tisiphone, Alecto, and Megara dire: Deep in a cavern merg'd,…”
Both passages deal with the theme of divine judgment and the inevitability of facing consequences for one's actions. The Orphic Hymn invokes the Furies, who are agents of revenge and punishment, while the second passage describes kings and mighty ones imploring for respite from divine punishment and acknowledging their sins.
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn LXIX. THE FURIES
“LXIX. TO THE FURIES. The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. HEAR me, illustrious Furies, mighty nam'd, Terrific pow'rs, for prudent counsel fam'd; Holy and pure, from Jove terrestrial born And Proserpine, whom lovely locks adorn: Whose piercing sig…”
Both passages deal with the theme of divine punishment and the consequences of unrighteous actions. The Furies in the Orphic Hymns and the angels of punishment in the second passage serve as agents of retribution for the impious and the unrighteous, respectively.
◆mandaean|Gnostic John the Baptizer — Some Typical Extracts|Section 17
“My sons! See that you are not hinters and that your eyes make no suggestions [ sc . to women]. For the hinters and wink-givers will be assigned to the guard-stations. To the guard-stations will they be assigned and be judged with stern just…”
Both passages emphasize the themes of judgment, repentance, and the consequences of one's actions. They share a common concern with moral behavior and the ultimate reckoning before a divine authority, reflecting a genuine conceptual parallel across different mystical traditions.
◆sufism|The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi)|STORY IV
“Another Tyrannical Jewish King. A certain Jewish king, the same who is referred to in the Sura "Signs of the Zodiac," I made up his mind to utterly exterminate the Christian faith, and with that view he set up a huge idol, and issued comman…”
Both passages explore the theme of divine justice and the limitations of earthly power. They highlight the ultimate submission of all things to a higher, divine authority, though they do so within different narrative and theological contexts.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi)|Introductionh
“This living speech is the condemnation of the wicked, and hence they seek to destroy it; but it is they only who die, and the Word of Truth remains to judge their memory! Orpheus may have been rent by bacchantes; Socrates may have quaffed…”
Both passages discuss the enduring power of divine truth and the ultimate judgment of those who oppose it. They share the theme of the triumph of the divine spirit over earthly powers and the inevitability of divine justice.